Street-network Sprawl in Thoothukudi, India

What is Street-network sprawl?

Street-network Sprawl is a way to measure urban sprawl, worldwide, through the connectedness of the streets. Less sprawl means more connected, more walkable streets. Well-connected streets – like New York City’s grid – are more walkable and can be served by public transit.

The street network is permanent, and its connectivity affects the livability and environmental footprint of cities for decades and centuries to come. In places with more connected streets, residents drive less and walk more. A well-connected street network is associated with better outcomes for health, the environment, sustainable consumption, social integration, and equity.

We can quantify how connected street networks are with the Street Network Disconnectedness Index (SNDi).

SNDi -- our measure of street-network sprawl (disconnectedness)

The SNDi is a comprehensive measurement of “sprawl”. It captures:

A higher SNDi means less-connected streets – i.e., more sprawl. For the 10137 cities in our dataset, the average SNDi is 2.25, with half of the cities' SNDis falling between 1.08 and 3.25.

More information on the sprawl index can be found in these research papers:

To see the state of street-network sprawl across the globe, visit the sprawlmap.

Thoothukudi: city in Tamil Nadu, India

What exactly constitutes the spatial extent of the city? For these aggregations, we used the Global Human Settlement Layer Urban Center Database (GHS-UCDB) to define the boundaries of the city. These cities -- or urban centers -- cover areas that are densely populated and built-up, and so may extend beyond the spatial borders of these cities that we may be familiar with. The GHS area is shaded in blue.

View Thoothukudi, India on the sprawlmap

Most recent snapshot: Taking into account the entire (i.e. aggregate) street network in Thoothukudi as of 2014, the overall level of street-network sprawl is 2.12, which is relatively well-connected.

Trends in street network construction: The SNDis of street construction for the respective time periods are 2.06, 2.44, 1.88 and 2.18. Disconnectivity in street construction in Thoothukudi follows a zig-zag trend. In 1991-2000, street construction was most disconnected, while construction was most connected in 1976-1990.

Quantity of street network construction: The street network in Thoothukudi spans a total of 371 kilometers. It is dominated by roads constructed in 2001-2014. These roads have an SNDi of 2.18, which is relatively well-connected.

Effect on the aggregate network: New construction in each period adds to the total stock of streets, but does not change streets that have already been built. Therefore, it has a limited effect on the street network as a whole. The SNDis of the aggregate street network in the respective time periods are 2.06, 2.14, 2.08 and 2.12. Disconnectivity in Thoothukudi's street network follows a zig-zag trend. In 1975, the city was most disconnected; while it was most connected in 1976-1990.

Thoothukudi and Tamil Nadu do not follow the same trend in the disconnectivity of their street network constructions. The SNDi in Thoothukudi followed a zig-zag trend with an overall increase, while the SNDi of street constructions in Tamil Nadu rose steadily.

How do development practices in Thoothukudi fare in comparison to others in Tamil Nadu? Most recently in 2001-2014, street construction in Thoothukudi was the 105th-most disconnected out of the 151 cities in Tamil Nadu. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has fallen; relative to other cities in Tamil Nadu, street construction in Thoothukudi has become more connected. Thoothukudi ranked 47th in 1975, 61st in 1976-1990, 90th in 1991-2000 and 105th in 2001-2014.

Thoothukudi and India do not follow the same trend in the disconnectivity of their street network constructions. The SNDi in Thoothukudi followed a zig-zag trend with an overall increase, while the SNDi of street constructions in India rose steadily.

How do development practices in Thoothukudi fare in comparison to others in India? Most recently in 2001-2014, street construction in Thoothukudi was the 845th-most disconnected out of the 1716 cities in India. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has fallen; relative to other cities in India, street construction in Thoothukudi has become more connected. Thoothukudi ranked 473rd in 1975, 605th in 1976-1990, 735th in 1991-2000 and 845th in 2001-2014.

Thoothukudi and Tamil Nadu do not follow the same trend in the disconnectivity of their aggregate street networks. The SNDi in Thoothukudi followed a zig-zag trend with an overall increase, while the SNDi of street constructions in Tamil Nadu rose steadily.

To date, Thoothukudi is the 105th-most disconnected out of the 151 cities in Tamil Nadu. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has fallen; relative to other cities in Tamil Nadu, the street network in Thoothukudi has become more connected. Thoothukudi ranked 47th in 1975, 76th in 1976-1990, 92nd in 1991-2000 and 105th in 2001-2014.

Thoothukudi and India do not follow the same trend in the disconnectivity of their aggregate street networks. The SNDi in Thoothukudi followed a zig-zag trend with an overall increase, while the SNDi of street constructions in India rose steadily.

To date, Thoothukudi is the 979th-most disconnected out of the 1716 cities in India. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has fallen; relative to other cities in India, the street network in Thoothukudi has become more connected. Thoothukudi ranked 473rd in 1975, 721st in 1976-1990, 857th in 1991-2000 and 979th in 2001-2014.

As of 2015, Thoothukudi had a built-up area of 9.11 square kilometers, and a population of 291737 people.

These are some other cities with approximately the same population: